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WP claim bonus-point win

Cape Town - Western Province turned it on in the second half to beat Griquas 33-15 in a Currie Cup clash at Newlands on Saturday.

The result sees John Dobson’s side return to winning ways after they had lost their last two, while Griquas have now lost all five of their fixtures this season

WP started the game with an intensity that initially promised much.

But the visitors weathered the storm and took the lead through the boot of Clinton Swart on 13 minutes after Griquas had won a scrum penalty.

Kurt Coleman, given his opportunity at flyhalf in the absence of Demetri Catrakilis, then levelled matters on 22 minutes with a penalty of his own.

Griquas No 8 Carel Greeff was then shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on WP captain Nizaam Carr and the hosts scored the opening try a minute later.

Cheslin Kolbe broke down the left flank before off-loading to Jaco Taute. The WP centre had enough awareness to find Nic Groom, who finished off the fluid move in the corner.

Coleman converted from the touchline, and WP were 10-3 ahead.

With the game hardly alight, Swart then narrowed the gap to 10-6.

On 33 minutes WP were awarded a penalty in their own 22m area but it was reversed after replays revealed Rynhardt Elstadt’s body slam on Griquas flank RJ Liebenberg.

Swart knocked over the kick, and the score was 10-9.

A Coleman penalty restored WP’s four-point lead, though Swart did miss an opportunity on the stroke of half-time to narrow the gap once more.

In the meantime, Carr had left the field with a hamstring injury that saw Groom take over the captaincy duties.

The opening stages of the second period were as uninspiring as much of the first half, but Swart did kick a penalty after the restart to make it 13-12.

A maul penalty on 56 minutes then gave Swart the opportunity to put his side ahead. The inside centre obliged, and Griquas found themselves 15-13 up.

That sparked the home side, and the modest Newlands crowd, back into life as WP hit back immediately.

Phase after phase of WP attack had been met by a resilient Griquas defence, but the wall was knocked down when Elstadt dived over a ruck to score on the hour mark. Coleman converted, and WP were 20-15 ahead.

Griquas were given another yellow when Jaco Nepgen was binned and it began to look like WP had won back the ascendency.

A Coleman penalty with 13 minutes remaining made it an eight-point game, and the home side would not let that lead slip.

WP then turned the ball over at ruck time from inside their own half before setting off on a counter attack that would result in Taute scoring in the right corner.

Coleman struck the upright with his conversion, but the damage was done as WP took a 28-15 lead into the final 10 minutes.

The bonus point try came in dramatic fashion. Dillyn Leyds had marked the ball after a sustained Griquas attack. When he might have looked for territory, Leyds instead tapped quickly and set off on a counter attack.

Seabelo Senatla was released down the left and his kick over the top found replacement flyhalf Robert du Preez, who dotted down as the game was put to bed.

Scorers:

Western Province:

Tries: Nic Groom, Rynhardt Elstadt, Jaco Taute, Robert du Preez

Conversions: Kurt Coleman (2)

Penalties: Coleman (3)

Griquas:

Penalties: Clinton Swart (5)

Teams:

Western Province:

15. Cheslin Kolbe, 14. Kobus van Wyk, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Jaco Taute, 11. Seabelo Senatla, 10. Kurt Coleman, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Nizaam Carr (captain), 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Chris Cloete, 5. Ruan Botha, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Wilco Louw, 2. Scarra Ntubeni, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16. Bongi Mbonambi, 17. JP Smith, 18. Chris van Zyl, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Godlen Masimla, 21. Robert du Preez, 22. Dillyn Leyds

Griquas:

15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Sandile Ngcobo, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Ruhan Nel, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Tian Meyer (captain), 8 Carel Greeff, 7 RJ Liebenberg, 6 Hilton Lobberts, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Jaco Nepgen, 3 Stephan Kotze, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.

Substitutes: 16 AJ Le Roux, 17  Danie Mienie, 18 Ewald Van Der Westhuizen, 19 Jonathan Adendorf, 20 Leon Karemaker, 21 Gouws Prinsloo,  22 Jacquin Jansen

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